Madrid boss Mourinho plans raid for Drogba or Adebayor
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Are you for Real, Jose? Madrid boss Mourinho plans raid for Drogba and Adebayor
In demand: Mourinho is interested in signing Drogba and Adebayor
Jose Mourinho wants an imposing new striker at Real Madrid - with Emmanuel Adebayor and Didier Drogba identified as perfect candidates.
The Bernabeu boss is on a collision course with general director Jorge Valdano, who wants to instead turn his attention to off-loading players after believing that Mesut Ozil would be the final signing of the summer.
However, the Madrid press have been briefed that Mourinho still wants a 'No 9' because he is unconvinced by France striker Karim Benzema and fears they have no real alternative to Gonzalo Higuain.
The Portuguese is a huge admirer of Drogba, who developed into one of the world's best strikers when they worked together at Chelsea.
However, the Blues would resist a move for the Ivory Coast international and the 32-year-old insists he is happy at Stamford Bridge.
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Adebayor may be easier to land. The former Arsenal striker did not start Manchester City's opening Premier League match of the season and was recently quoted in Italy as saying he was keen on a move to Juventus.
The 26-year-old has been handed the No 9 shirt by City, but Roberto Mancini tends to play just one central striker and has handed the captaincy to Carlos Tevez - as well as splashing out on his former Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli.
Mourinho is also keen on Anderlecht's 17-year-old 'New Drogba' Romelu Lukaku - a Chelsea target - but would prefer a more established star this summer.
The short list of targets that the boss has reportedly handed Bernabeu chiefs includes PSV Eindhoven's Ola Toivonen, who is wanted by Liverpool and Tottenham.
Mourinho is also said to be at loggerheads with Valdano over Lassana Diarra. Valdano is apparently prepared to listen to offers for the former Portsmouth midfielder - as well as Rafael van der Vaart, Mahamadou Diarra and Fernando Gago.
However, the former Inter Milan coach would not be prepared to lose all the midfielders and apparently wants to keep the man they call 'Lass' above all others.
Sportsmail revealed that Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp wants to take the France international on loan, while Marseille are also understood to be tracking him.
Wolfsburg boss Steve McClaren has lodged a bid for Van der Vaart, who has been linked to Liverpool and Chelsea, while Benfica and Galatasaray are keen on Royston Drenthe.